Bill giving Colo. cities option to serve alcohol til 4:30 a.m. spiked

The original aim of Rep. Crisanta Duran's bill was to give cities more control in dealing with unruly crowds that flood out of bars and nightclubs en masse at 2 a.m. closing times.

But an array of amendments in recent weeks that changed the hours of when bars could sell alcohol and how cities could implement rules doomed the bill in the House, causing Duran to step forward Monday to ask lawmakers to spike the measure.

"After having many conversations about this bill, I think it's time to go back to the drawing board on this," Duran, a Denver Democrat, said on the House floor before lawmakers granted her request and shot down the bill on a final vote.

The measure would have allowed local municipalities to decide if bars could sell alcohol until 4:30 a.m. Current law mandates that all bars and nightclubs across the state stop selling alcohol at 2 a.m.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and some members of City Council supported the bill.

An amendment Duran tacked onto the measure last week that allowed local governments to restrict hours of operation for certain establishments caused key stakeholders like the Colorado Restaurant Association to withdraw support for the measure.

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Moreover, groups like Mothers Against Drunk Driving said the bill would encourage drunken driving.

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